The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-03-06
FISH DEFEATS SgWELL.
"A Golden Opportunity TINT Could Not be
Improved.

A Golden Opportunity TINT Could Not be
Improved.
Just at this point Chairman Fish came
upon the stage as one of the great factors
the contest. Last year Mr.. Fish was an
advocate of Baltimore and Ohio interests
in the Senate and he has not been quoted
as being favorable to Seweli's candidacy
this winter. Sewell may have seen the
necessity of having friend in the Chair at
Joint Meeting; but the President of the
Senate is entitled to the position by
courtesy, and Sewell did not dare to drive
him into open revolt by displacing him for
some one else. Fish's Craftsmanship was
one of the necessary weaknesses OF
Sewell's situation; and, as the event shows,
it was fatal weakness to him.
The Albeit Democrats had had sneak
ing notion all the morning that the con
ferences between the boiling Democrats
and the Republicans would eventuate in
combination. When at noon Throckmor-
ton asked for more time to conduct the
conferences, they were satisfied that the
sscombine" was ON the eve of consumma-
ton. Their loyalty to Albeit was party
as much as it was personal loyalty; and
they were not disposed to see two or three
or half dozen boilers triumph over reg
ular party caucus. In their admiration TOR
straight party men, who MAKE their tight
in the caucus and gracefully yield when
beaten, they were more ready to see
straight party Republican than to see a
free-booting Democrat elected; and as
Tribute to the binding efficacy OF the eau
Gus they were not unwilling, if they could
not triumph with their own caucus candl-
date, to aid in the election of the candidate
of the other caucus. so, with view to
throwing their whole strength to General
Sewell, if the worst came to the worst, they
had fortified themselves on the point
whether. after the ballot had been taken
and before the result was announced, they
had right TO change their votes. The
first thing that Senator Edwards did,
when the first roll-cAll commenced, was to
wiring from Fish promise that he would
not, after successful ballot, announce the
result till every member desiring to change
had been recorded as he desired. The de-
sign was, by series of rapid changes from
Albeit to Sewell, to fire atresh their loyalty
for their leader in the hearts of Sewen men
who. under the lead OF the g steering COM
mittee," had voted for Blodgett, and SO to
stampede the Joint Convention over to the
Camden statesman. There is reason to be-
lieve that Sewell himself had hores that
that might be the outcome of the struggle;
and there is as much reason to believe that
when Fish consented to recognize the
right of members to change he did not
catch its full import and significance.
The time for the contemplated SIAM
pede seemed to be ripe when Dickinson
went over to Blodgett. But some one who
had kept careless tally started rumor
that even with D:ckinson's vote he Was
one short; and Edwards held the con-
vention at standstill for ten minutes
perhaps, while he satisfied himself. He
was going to be sure he was right Def ore
be went ahead. Fish had mean while
ciphered out the significance of the change
movement, and tried, two or three times,
to defeat it by announcing the result.
Edwards stepped to the front, however.
and reminded hun of his promises and
| Fish respected it. But he stopped to
| bicker with the Hudson Senator about 1t,
and it was many seconds before his change
( had been recorded. McDermitt gave him
q handle to work with Immediately after
wards by rising to change, and then
repeating his vote for Albeit. He insisted
| after that ia knowing whether members
| who claimed his attention desired to
| change, and parleyed on the matter with
each as he rose in his place SO long that il
| took nearly half an hour to record half q
dozen changes. And Lennon assisted him
by frequently iuterrupting the proceed
Ings with his maudlin call every hall
minute
6 Less have oder, Misser Shairmanl'
So the movement thl 10 have been effec.
tive needed 10 have been hurrieans,like in
lis force and rapidity was sat upon and